The subject of the present invention is sports footwear structure, particularly but not exclusively designed for fitting on in-line roller skates, of the type comprising a first footwear element made of relatively rigid or semi-rigid material and constituting the outer upper portion of the footwear, and a second, relatively soft footwear element housed in the first element but structurally independent thereof, the second footwear element having an outer surface, a predominant part of the area of which is placed against a corresponding inner surface of the first element.
In the technical field of skates, both roller skates and ice skates, as in the field of ski boots and snow-board footwear, these elements are typically known by the terms of "shell" (with or without a cuff) for the former element, and "inner shoe" for the latter. These terms are therefore used in the following text with the meanings indicated above, with the remark that the element referred to as the shell may include a cuff portion since, although the cuff is not necessarily constructed as an integral part of the shell, it is normally associated therewith to complete the shell, and the second element may include additional padding elements not necessarily formed integrally therewith.
As is known, whether or not the shell is equipped with a cuff, it is generally moulded in relatively rigid plastics material which can hold the foot and transmit to the sports equipment associated therewith--whether it be a ski or the wheel-carrier of a skate--the movements, impulses and actions which bring about the control thereof. The inner shoe, on the other hand, is normally made of a relatively soft and yielding material and has a padding structure suitable for housing the user's foot with the desired degree of comfort.
So that the valued comfort conferred by the soft inner shoe does not conflict with the requirements for the control of the sports equipment, the coupling between the shell and the inner shoe nevertheless has to ensure that the user's foot is held firmly. At the same time, it is preferable for the inner shoe to be removable from the shell, for example, for periodic cleaning operations.
According to the prior art, the inner shoe is housed in the shell removably and is restrained by the tightening of the fastening means which close the shell onto the user's foot. The gripping thus achieved is certainly effective but can be improved.